Operating Your Bear-Resistant Cart

The City of Boulder first adopted their Bear Protection ordinance in 2014. This ordinance requires all trash and compost to be secured from bears at all times until collected by a waste hauler for properties west of Broadway within City limits.

Based on a review of the ordinance and feedback from the community, the City of Boulder amended the Bear Ordinance effective March 9th, 2017. Key changes include:
•Yard waste such as branches and leaves can be put out for collection next to waste receptacle. Compost containers in the Bear Protection Zone have to be bear-resistant and secured at all times. Branches and leaves are not considered a bear attractant, and branches can be bundled, and leaves can be placed in leaf litter bags, both can be put out, unsecured, for collection.
•Bear resistant containers (and recycling) can be put out the night before collection. If you have a bear-resistant cart for your trash and compost, you can put your trash, compost, and recycling out for collection 8:00pm the night before collection.
•A broken bear-resistant cart is not a defense to not securing trash. If your bear-resistant cart is broken or not working, the user is responsible to arrange for repairs. Call Western Disposal right away if there are any problems with the latching system on your cart so that it can be repaired or replaced in a timely manner.
•Fine amounts (as of March 2017):

First offense: $100

Second offense: $250

Third offense: $500

For more information on the Bear Protection ordinance, including a map of the protection zone, visit: bouldercolorado.gov/wildlife.